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Tuesday, September 11, 2018
Sept 11, 2018
CHOSEN BY JESUS
Luke 6: 12-19
Our professor of Eastern Philosophy in Driyarkara School of Philosophy, in Jakarta, told us about his study. He said that when he was getting his Master in Philosophy, he didn’t use the book. We were surprised. What happened? He then said that because he just followed his master. In India, he continued, the student learns by following his teacher especially in philosophy of India. Most of the activities of the master are meditating and no explaining or giving the discourse.
Today, in the Gospel, we listen to Jesus who chooses his disciples. He first went to the mountain to pray and then he chose his disciples. After choosing them, he keeps them in prayer and then he sent them. It means that the prayer is the centre of their life.
Here, Jesus invites them just to follow Him. Until now, as we follow the daily gospel, Jesus attracts many people. They come to Him for asking healing and listening to his discourse. At this moment, Jesus needs the help of the other. That’s why he chooses the disciples. Their activity is just to follow Him. Follow him include in prayer as Jesus shows them.
The disciples are chosen by Jesus. Jesus who takes the first initiative. We can not say that Jesus knows them very well before choosing them. In fact, Jesus chooses and forms them. Jesus doesn't choose the holy man. They have a different kind of weakness and sin. Jesus in many occasions said that He comes to call sinners. The holiness or perfectness is not criteria to become the disciples. Jesus himself who makes us holy. He chooses them because He loves them.
Jesus loves all of us so that He calls all of us to become his disciples. Our main work is following Him. He prays and we must pray. He visits the sick people and we must visit the sick people.

So, do you want to follow Him?

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Monday, September 10, 2018
Sept 10, 2018
NEED TO BE HEALED
Luke 6: 6-11

I had the bad attitude or bad experience when I was in the pastoral year in Indonesia. I was sent to the formation house. There, I lived with the fathers and the young brothers. I can say that I was with them, the brothers, for 24 hours. So, I know very well the habit of each of them. Some like to go out every afternoon to find the internet point, some like to smoke on the third floor of our house, some like to play games in the computer room even until midnight.

My problem was this; when I don’t like by the habit of one brother, I always observe him with the bad view. I don't like the brothers who always go out every afternoon to find the internet point. When one brother of this group come to me to ask permission, I immediately have an impression, that this brother wants to find the internet point. In fact, not always like this. Sometimes he asks permission to buy the book or any kind of his needs.

I think that the attitude of the Scribes and Pharisees in today’s gospel almost the same with mine. They can not see the good things that Jesus makes for many people. Jesus healed many people but they continue to see the reason to accuse Him. This is a kind of blindness that they have, that I have, that we have. They and we focus on bad things so that we can not see the good things. All things that Jesus does are bad things.

Even for me was like this. This kind of blindness can not help us to increase our relationship with God, the others, ourselves, and also can not help us to make our community as a good place to cultivate our vocation. I think that it is better to ask the help of our Lord Jesus Christ so that our heart and our eyes are opened to see the good things and not the bad things that our friends make. We need also the healing of Jesus. So, not only this man but all of us need to be healed by Jesus.

Gordi SX

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Sunday, September 09, 2018
23rd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME B
LEARN FROM “JOJO” (Mark 7: 31-37)


One time, I joined my friends who served in the orphanage. There, I found many handicap people: blind, deaf, mute, paralyse, etc.

One thing that calls my attention was my interaction with one child who deaf and mute. He can not speak and can not listen. So, our conversation was only with the clear symbols. For instance, to say eat we imitated how we take the spoon and put in the mouth. Or, to say drink with making the sign how we raise the glass and put in our mouth.

These examples are the common signs and always we use to communicate with them. I was very happy when he understood my signs I made. And, what I admire was his reaction when he understood my communication. He smiles and looks at me. He was very happy.

In today’s Gospel, we see the same person who tries to communicate with Jesus. The people bring him to Jesus. I think that even the person bring him to Jesus he himself cannot say something to Jesus. His mouth and ears are blocked so that he cannot speak and listen. Here, we find this limitation that makes him unable to communicate.

Jesus, in the same way, comes to the world to liberate us, to liberate him, from our disability of communication. The presence of Jesus is important particularly to break down this wall. In the old testament, this wall is our sin. Sins make us unable to establish the relationship with God. What does Jesus do for this person?

First, Jesus brings him away from the crowd. In the other sign or miracle, Jesus heals the sick people in public place so that many people can see it. But, here, it is different. Jesus wants to make another way because this person has a particular situation. Jesus cannot communicate with him in a usual way. Bringing him to a particular place is the way to communicate with him.

Second, Jesus touches him: put his finger into the man’s ears, spits, touches his tongue, look up to heaven and groan and said Ephata, be opened.

Touching this man is a sign of the presence of God. Jesus not only presents physically but also spiritually. That’s why Jesus here heals him with action more than with words. Jesus’ presence is the sign of the presence of God. God is not He who stays long from us, but He who stays with us. God who becomes flash.

At the end of this Gospel, we see the joy of this man and the people around. Joy because this man can listen and speak, and joy because they can communicate with him. So, now he is not another part of them again but he is a member of their community. I imagine how great this joy and how great our Lord who makes us joy with this man.

Pope Francis in many occasion invites us to celebrate our joy of being Christian, being Catholic, being the follower of Jesus Christ. So, one question for all of us, how about our life? How we celebrate our joy of being healing by Jesus from our deaf and mute, our disability of communication?

One week ago, we just finished the Asian Games. I was admired with what the badminton player of Indonesia Jonathan Christie--called Jojo--did when he won the game. He made the sign of the cross in front of many people in the tribune. This is a good example because he expressed his joyful moment in front of the others. We can share our joy of being Catholic, Christian, etc.   

Let us go on and ask the help of Jesus so that we can celebrate also our joy with this man who deaf and mute.

Gordi SX

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